Stop means for textile machines



Sept. 28, 1943. c. B. HAYES ET AL 3 STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 4, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 dH rN f A: f R m. aH

Sept. 28, 1943. c. B. HAYES ET AL 2,330,212

STOP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 4, 1 942 a Sheets-Sheet 2 F/a-Z 121M111; ii 2; 1/

' INVENTORS 62 FM? 5. #4 Y5! 6/ Hing; J. CZECH l M ATTEKI EY5 v Sept. 28, 1943. 0.15. HAYES ET'AL 2,

S'I'OP MEANS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed March 4, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTORG CZ 705 6. #4 YES 0 Hing); CZECH Patented Sept. 28, 1943 2,330,212 STOP MEANS FOR 'rsx'rmn MACHINES Clyde B. Hayes, Saratoga Springs, and Henry J. Czech, Gloversville, N. Y., asslgnors to Van Raalte Company, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application March 4, 1942, Serial No. 433,302

18 Claims. v

This invention relates to stop motions for use in .the textile arts.

In the prior art a wide variety of mechanisms .have been employed or suggested for efiecting stoppage of textile machinery uponthread or yarn failure. By thread or yarn failure we mean, comprehensively, either actual breakage, the coming to the end of the thread or yarn, or the failure of the thread or yarn to feed normally due to a defect in the mechanism. to which the thread or yarn is being fed. Thread or yarn failure may, in fact, be due to any abnormality of operation which results in the failure of a thread or strand of yarn to maintain its normal tension or path of travel in passage through the machine.

Prior art devices of this general class, practically without exception, involve the employment of heddles or drop wires associated with individual threads or strands of yarn and requireas many separate heddles or drop wire mechanisms as there are separate threads or strands of yarn. In the case of tricot knitting machines, for instance,,where separate threads or yarn strands to the number of approximately ten thousand are frequently passing simultaneously from one or more warp beams to the knitting mechanism, the use of individual heddles or drop wires is out of the question. Aside from the vast number of parts required and the general mechanical complexity of such an arrangement, the time required for threading the individual heddles or drop wires and for arranging them in special thread patterns would prohibit commercial use of stop motions of the prior art in tricot knitting machines or any other textile machinery where large numbers of threads are present, Individual stop motions of the prior are are used where lesser numbers of threads are involved and where limitations as to space are not so exacting. found in the winding of warp beams. However, even when absolute necessity is not the compelling factor, the elimination of means for dealing individually with each separate thread is of very distinct and definite advantage. By way of example we shall show the principles of our invention'as applied to tricot knitting machines. It is, to be understood, however, that the improved method and means of our invention may be applied to yarn slashers, warping machines, weaving machines, and in fact to any phase of the textile art where those vprinciples find useful application. The use of the term thread in the One such field of application is' following description shall be intended to'include yarn and like strands of material.

While a complete and specific embodiment of our invention is shown and described in the ensuing description by way of example, it is to be understood that the spirit and scope of our inventioin are not limited thereto or otherwise than as defined in the ap ended claims. In the drawings: r Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a tricot knitting machine with the mechanical portion of the warp stop of our invention shown, in one exemplary form, in cross section; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of the frame work of the machine of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electrical portion of the warp stop of Figs. 1 and 2.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like characters of reference denote like parts and the numerals l0 and H designate a pair of side frame members of a textile machine which in the present instance and by wayof ex-.

ample is a tricot knitting machine. A warp beam for the machine is shown in cross section at 12 in Fig. 1 and a whip roll [3 and a tension stantially horizontally as an inherent incident of the design of the particular machine suitable auxiliary rolls may be introduced to bring this 40 condition about. In cases where several beams are employed, and in fact wherever there are several distinct thread paths in a textile machine, the mechanism of our invention may be" duplicated as desired.

In the drawings the numeral 20 designates an elongate pan which extends from one side of the machine to the other and is disposed beneath all of the many warp threads l5 which extend in" parallelism from the warp beam to the knitting 5o mechanism. The pan 20 may be attached to the machine proper in any convenient manner but in such a way that it is electrically insulated therefrom. In the present form there are inverted U-shaped straps 2| and 22 adjacent each end of the pan 20 which extend downwardly to engagement with fixed portions of the machine structure (not shown). Interposed between the pan 20 and'the pair of 'straps 2| and 22 are insulating blocks 23 and 24 respectively and the securement of the pan 2|) to the blocks 23 and 24, the securement of the blocls to the straps 2| and 22, and the securement of the lower ends of the straps to the machine, may be by means of screws or the like.

A pair of elongate rollers 25 and 26 are disposed to rotate on parallel axes extending lengthwise of and above the pan 20 for a purpose which will presently appear. The rollers 25 and 26 are journaled at their opposite ends in bearing blocks 21 and 28 which are formed of insulating material and may be secured to the machine side frames IO and M respectively by means of angle irons designated 30 and 3| respectively. To provide suitable bearing surface bushings 32 may be .provided in the bearing blocks 21 and 28.

The rollers 25 and 26 are so disposed that their lower portions rotate in a liquid substance contained in the pan 20 and indicated at 35. The

tricot knitting machine. In some instances of use it may be desired to employ an individual driving motor for the rollers 26 and 26. The roller 25 is driven from the roller 26 by means of a belt 60 and pulleys 6| and 62 associated with the rollers 25 and 26 respectively. In the present instance the pulley 6| is shown as being larger than the pulley 42 since it is desired that the surface speed of the roller 26 be greater than that of the roller 25. In the embodiment now being described rotation of the rollers 25 and 26 is clockwise as viewed in Fig. l. The top peripheral portions of the rollers are thus moving liquid contained in the pan 2!] may vary somewhat in its exact identity'but should be one that conducts electricity to some extent. The liquid should further be one that will not harm the particular warp threads or yarn being dealt with when it comes in contact with such threads or yarn and preferably has the property of bein readily taken up by the thread or yarn, this property being referred to as wetting out." It is also desirable that the liquid have a slightly adherent nature.

Various conducting liquids may he employed but we have found that water, having added thereto commercial wetting out agents, has all of the desired characteristics save that of electrical conductivity, and this necessary attribute may be attained by addition of a small quantity of an acid, an alkali or a salt. As a specific example of a satisfactory liquid for use in the present invention we have used water containing 1% of an amine salt of sulphated ether and V2 of 1% of sodium hydroxide. The former of the additives is just one of a large number of readily ting out agent, such as sulphated ethers, sodium hydrocarbon sulphonate, sodium salts of most ydrocarbon sulphonic acids, or sodium alblnaphthalenesulfonate products. Likewise the substitution of other additives for producing the required electrical conductivity of the liquid medium are contemplated.

In operation it is intended that the upp r surfaces of the rollers 26 and 26 be substantially continuously and uniformly coated with the liquid material, and to this end the rollers are continuously rotated, in a manner .which will presently appear, and their surfaces may be made absorbent by having a fabric covering or, as in the illustrated instance, by winding their surface with string, thread, yarn or the like, as indicated at 36 and 31 respectively. The surface covering 36 and 31 further contributes a desired increase in the frictional characteristics of the roller surfaces.

counter to the normal direction of thread movement.

From the foregoing it will appear that the assemblage comprising the pan 26, the electrolyte or conducting liquid 35, and the rollers 26 and 26, may comprise a unitary electrode and a suitably insulated electrical conductor leads therefrom as at 60. A second electrode is formed by a bar 5| which is co-extensive with the pan 26 and the rollers 25 and 26 and is disposed between the rollers 25 and 26 and approximately in the line of the upper peripheries. Specifically, in the present instance, the bar 6| has its upper surface just slightly above a line drawn tangent to the upper surfaces of the rollers 26 and 26. The bar 5| has its ends bent in any convenient manner to clear adjacent portions of the machine and may terminate in flanges 62 and 63 for se curement against blocks of insulating material 56 and 55 respectively, the blocks 56 and 66 being in tum'secured against portions 66 and 61 of the machine frames l6 and M respectively.'

As appears from Fig. 2 an insulated conductor 66 leads from the electrode which comprises the bar 5|. It will be clear from the foregoing that disposition of a thread in such fashion that it contacts the bar 5| and either of the rollers 26 and 26 will electrically connect the electrodes if the 'thread be substantially coated with or wet with the liquid conducting medium between the points of contact. This establishment of conduction between the two electrodes is employed to effect stoppage of the main driving motor of the textile machine in a manner which will presently appear.

The conducting path established by the wetted or dampened thread may be quite attenuated and of relatively low conductivity and it has accordingly been folmd desirable to amplify the relatively weak electrical impulse in a manner which will presently appear. In practice, potentials oi the general order of sixty volts have been found to give excellent results. The method of applying thi electrical potential to the electrodes and the means for producing therefrom a greatly amplified electrical current impulse when a circuit is closed across the electrodes will now be described.

The roller 26 has a drive pulley 36 associated ated with any suitable moving part of the subject machine, as for instance the cam shaft of a Referring to Fig. 3, the electrode comprising the pan 26, the rollers 26 and 26 and the electrolyte 36, together with the conductor 56 for this electrode, are indicated schematically; likewise the electrode comprising the bar 6| with its conductor 66. In the wiring diagram a conventional three-phase, three wire alternating current source is indicated at 66, 66, 61 and an eJectric motor operable therefrom is designated 66. The motor 66 may be the main operating motor of the machine.

Between the alternating current source 66, 66, 61 and the motor 66 there is disposed an acrossthe-line switch having contact'members 66, 16

'for joint opening and closing movement upon a rod I2 whose terminal portion may comprise an armature I3 adapted to be attracted by a solenoid winding I4 for closing movement of the contact members 69, I and II. The contact members are conventionally biased to open position by spring means not shown.

For applying a suitable potential across the electrodes formed by the bar 5I and the associated pan 20, rollers 26 and electrolyte 35, we provide a transformer, designated generally I5 whose primary winding I6 has conductors I1 and I0 which may engage respectively with the conductors 65 and 61 at the motor side of the acrossthe-line switch, whereby the primary coil I6 will be energized only when the across-the-line switch is in a closed position by reason of energization of the solenoid I4. Since the secondary circuit is normally open during operation of the machine, self-induction of the primary winding will cause it to serve as a choke coil and current flow therein will accordingly be held to a Initial closing of the main motor circuit, and consequently of the primary circuit I6 of the transformer 15, is effected by closing of a-normally open starting switch 80 which establishes a temporary circuit across the conductors 61 and 65 of the three-wire alternating current source by means of a conductor 8| extending from theconductor 61, the momentarily closed switch 80, a conductor 82 leading therefrom, a normally closedv stopping switch 03, a conductor 84 leading to one end of the solenoid winding '14, and a conductor I5 leading from the other end of the solenoid winding to the conductor 65.

As soon as an energizing circuit for the electromagnet 14 is established by operation of the starting switch 80 and the switch contacts move to closed position, a holding circuit is established through a switch contact bar 88 which closes with the contact bars 69, I0 and II and closes a circuit to the solenoid winding I4 which is in parallel with respect to the starting switch 80 and comprises a conductor 90 from the conductor 80 to one side of the contact bar 88 and a conductor 9| leading from the other side of the contact bar 88'to the conductor 82. The

winding I4 is the same as the starting circuit.

Obviously momentary opening of the holding circuit by breaking the same through manual opening of the normally closed stopping switch 63 de-energizes the solenoid winding I4 and restores the across-the-line switch to open position. In pursuance to the principles of our invention, a second means for breaking the holding circuit for the solenoid winding III takes the form of a normally closed switch 93 interposed in the conductor 64, together with an electromagnet 94 having an iron pore 95 for attracting the switch 93 to.open cir 't position upon energization of the electromagfi t 94.

The primary; winding I6 may be provided with variable resistance by interposing a rheostat or the like in its energizing circuit as is indicated at 91 in the conductor 11. The secondary circuit of the transformer?! is designated 99 in Fig. 3 and has as one of its'terminals the conductor leading to the bar 5|. The other terminal of the secondary winding 99 is grounded as at I00. The manner in which the secondary remainder of the holding circuit for the solenoid the rearwardly moving upper surface of the rear circuit is completed across the electrode 5| and the electrode comprising the pan 20 with rollers 25 and 26 and electrolyte 35 and through the conductor 50 will presently appear.

Numeral I02 designates the conventional triode having an indirectly heated cathode I03, a plate I04, control grid, I05 and heating filament I06. For applying plate and cathode potentials and for heating the filament I06 a conventional transformer I0'I is provided and such transformer may be connected across the conductors 65 and 61 of the primary motor circuit, preferably at the motor side of the across-the-line switch whereby the triode will be energized only when the main motor circuit is closed. The conductor 50 which'connects with the pan 20 terminates in a connection with the control grid I05 of the triode I02 and when a conducting thread bridges between the bar 5| and either'of the rollers 26 and 26 the secondary circuit is complete and extends from the ground I 00 through the secondary winding 99, the conductor 60, the bar 5I, the conducting liquid coating of the slack thread, either of the rollers 25 or 26, the conducting liquid 35, the conductor 50, the control grid I05, the cathode I03 to ground asindicated at IIO. This comprises the input circuit of thetriode I02. The thus completed secondary circuit is greatly amplified in the plate or output circuit of the triode which includes the electromagnet 94 and results in the energization thereof to open the switch 93 and break the circuit to the holding solenoid I4. Breaking of this holding circuit deenergizes the entire system including the transformer 15 and the several circuits of the triode I02.

The action of the thread upon breakage, upon ending of the thread, or upon failure of the knitting mechanism to continue to receive a thread or threads during operation of the machine, will now be discussed with respect to its cooperation with the bar 5I and the rollers 25 and 26. If a threador strand of yarn breaks between the knitting mechanism and the electrodes of the stop device, the thread will drop into contact with the rollers 25 and 26 and the bar 5I and will be drawn rearwardly by the rollers. Under these circumstances the front roller 25 serves as a fountain roller to wet or coat the thread with electrical conducting liquid from the pan 20. At the same time the broken thread is being drawn rearwardly by the rollers and the wetted or coated portion of the thread increases in extent rearwardly from the front roller 25 until it reaches the bar 5| whereupon it closes the secondary circuit of the transformer 15 and stops the machine as previously set forth.

It has been found desirable to rotate the rear roller at a greater surface speed than the front roller since this has a tendency. to cause the thread to drag frictionally across the roller surface and thereby facilitate the wetting or coating of the thread by more effective action of the latter against the surface tension of the liquid coating the roller 25. Under these circumstances the rotation of the front roller serves to keep its surface freshly coated with the conducting medium.

If a thread ends or breaks rearwardly of the stop device it will likewise drop to engagement with the rollers 25 and 26 and the bar 5|. The knitting mechanism will continue under these circumstances to draw the thread forwardly over roller 26 and the thread will be wetted or coated roller 26 until the coated portion reaches the bar 5| whereupon the secondary circuit of the transformer and the input circuit of the triode I02 will likewise be closed to effect machine stoppage.

If the knitting mechanism fails to contin .e to draw a particular thread or threads thereto, slack will develop between the whip roll and the tension bar by reason of continued rotation of the warp beam through other threads being drawn therefrom by the knitting mechanism. This slack in the thread not being knitted will cause the thread to fall into contact with the rollers and 26 and the bar GI and action of the rollers on this thread will be the same as in the case of a break occurring forwardly of the electrodes.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of spaced electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying a conducting liquid to said thread between said electrodes to close said circuit, and means operable by closure of said circuit for interrupting machine operation.

2. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of spaced electrodes disposed beneath a normal thread path whereby dropping of said thread brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying conducting liquid to said thread between said electrodes to close said circuit, and means operable -by closure of said circuit for interrupting machine operation.

3. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying a conducting medium to said thread for causing engagement of said thread with said electrodes to effect circuit closure, and means responsive to circuit closure for controlling machine operation.

4. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a' pair of electrodes engageable by a thread, means adjacent a normal thread path for applying a conducting material to a thread which is displaced from said normal path, whereby said thread closes the circuit across said electrodes, and means responsive to circuit closure for controlling machine operation.

5. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a vpair of electrodes adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it intocontact with said electrodes, one of said electrodes comprising means for applying a conducting medium to such thread whereby its contact with said electrodes closes said circuit, and means responsive to circuit closure for controlling machine operation.

6. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising a pan containing a liquid capable of conducting electricity and a roller disposed to rotate ins id liquid with its upper peripheral portion expo d thereabove, said pan and roller comprising an electrode, a second electrode spaced from the first electrode, said two electrodes being in an electric circuit closable by contact across said electrodes of a thread bearing conducting liquid, and means re-' sponsive to closure of said circuit for interrupting machine operation.

7. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying a conducting medium to said thread whereby ngagement of said thread with said electrodes effects circuit closure, an audion amplifier, said circuit comprising the input circuit of said amplifier, and means in the output circuit of said amplifier for controlling machine operation.

8.. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of electrodes engageable by a thread, means adjacent a normal thread path for applying a conducting material to a thread which is displaced from said normal path, whereby said thread closes the circuit across said electrodes, and means responsive .to circuit closure for controlling machin operation, said means comprising an audion amplifier and means in the output circuit thereof for controlling machine operation, said first mentioned circuit comprising the input circuit of said amplifier.

9. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying a conducting medium to said thread whereby engagement of said-thread with said electrodes efiects circuit closure, the circuit so closed having a relatively high resistance, means for applying to said circuit a high potential, the relationship between theresistance and potential being normally such that current flow is relatively small when said circuit is closed, an audion for amplifying said current. said circuit comprising the input circuit of said audion, and machine controlling means operable from the output circuit of said-audion.

10. Means for controlling textile machinery in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of electrodes engageable by a thread, means adjacent a normal thread path for applying aconducting material to a thread which is displaced from said normal path, whereby said thread closes the circuit across said electrodes, the circuit so closed having a relatively high resistance, means for applying to said circuit a high potential, the relationship between the resistance and potential being normally such that current flow is relatively small-when said circuit 'is closed, an audion for amplifying said current, said circuit comprising the input circuit of said audion, and machine controlling means operable from the output circult of said audion.

11, Means for controlling the driving motor circuit of a textile machine in response to thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying a conducting medium to said thread whereby engagement of said thread with said electrodes eflects circuit closure, and relay means responsive to circuit closure for opening the driving motor circuit upon thread failure.

12. Means for controlling the driving motor' placed from said normal path, whereby said' thread closes the circuit across said electrodes,

and relay means responsive to circuit closure for opening the driving motor circuit upon thread failure.

13. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising a machine-controlling electric circuit including a pair of spaced electrodes disposed beneath a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, one of said electrodes comprising a container adaptedv to contain an electrically conductive liquid, said electrode further comprising a pair of rollers extending transversely to the direction of thread movement and having their.

lower peripheral portion disposed to contact said liquid, and means for rotating said roller to maintain a coating of said liquid on the surface thereof whereby a thread dropping to said electrodes is coated with said liquid and establishes a conducting path between said electrodes.

14. Means for controlling textile machinery comprising a machine-controlling electric circuit 1 including a pair of spaced electrodes disposed beneath a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, one of said electrodes comprising a container adapted to contain an electrically conductive liquid, said electrode further comprising a roller extending transversely to the direction of thread movement and having its lower peripheral portion disposed to contact said liquid, and means for rotating said roller to maintain a coating of conducting liquid thereon, whereby movement of a thread from said roller tothe other of said electrodes causes conducting liquid to bridge the space between the roller and the other electrode to close said machine controlling circuit.

15. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising a machinecontrolling electric circuit including a pair of spaced electrodes disposed beneath a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, one of said electrodes comprising a container adapted to contain an electrically conductive liquid, said electrode likewise comprising a pair of rollers extending transversely to the direction of thread movement and having their lower peripheral portion disposed to contact said liquid, and means to rotate said rollers to maintain a coating of said liquid on the peripheral surfaces thereof, the other electrode being disposed between said rollers whereby thread bearing conducting liquid will extend from either of the rollers to the other electrode depending on the direction of movement of the contacting thread and thereby close the machine-controlling circuit.

16. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising an electric machine-controlling circuit including a pair of spaced electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, one of said electrodes comprising a pan adapted to contain a liquid electrically conductive' medium and a rotatable member arranged to have its lower portion in contact with said liquid and its upper portion disposed thereabove, whereby said rotatable member wet-s threads coming in contact therewith with con-,

ducting liquid whereby said thread may close a circuit across said electrodes.

thread failure, said means comprising an electric machine-controlling circuit including a pair of spaced electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, and means for wetting said thread with a conducting liquid, said means comprising a container for said liquid and a fountain roller for applying aid liquid to a thread.

18. Means for stopping textile machinery upon thread failure, said means comprising a circuit having a pair of spaced electrodes disposed adjacent a normal thread path whereby displacement of a thread from said path brings it into contact with said electrodes, means for applying a conducting liquid to said thread between said electrodes to close said circuit, means for amphfying the current impulse resulting from closure of said circuit by presence 'of a conducting thread across said electrodes. and means operable from said amplified current impulse for stopping said machine.

CLYDE B. HAYES. HENRY J. CZECH.

17. Means for stopping textile machinery upon 

